Admission of Pre-Kindergarten Students & Kindergarten Students:

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1 Descriptor Term: Descriptor Code: SCHOOL ADMISSION JBC-P Date Issued: November 20, 2007 Revised: September 9, 1997 April 6, 2004 September 25, 2007 February 13, 2009 November 17, 2016 Prior to being enrolled in the Guilford County Schools, the Guilford County Board of Education requires all students to meet eligibility requirements of the State of North Carolina and Guilford County Schools. The following procedure will govern student admission in the Guilford County Schools. Admission of Pre-Kindergarten Students & Kindergarten Students: All kindergarten students must be 5 years of age on or before August 31. All prekindergarten students must be 4 years of age on or before August 31. DOMICILED STUDENTS - The student meeting the definition of a domiciled student will report to the assigned school in that attendance area and complete the following requirements: 1. Present a certified copy of the student's birth certificate or other evidence of birth which meets the age criteria required by North Carolina General Statutes 115C- 364 and provides proof of parentage. 2. Present the student's immunization certificate furnished by the health department or a licensed physician (within 30 days of the student's first enrollment date). 3. For kindergarten students, present a current health assessment completed by a health care provider and submitted within 30 calendar days of the student's first enrollment date. Additionally, any student in grades K-12 who are new to North Carolina Pubic Schools must provide a current health assessment completed by a health care provider and submitted within 30 calendar days of the student s first enrollment date. For the purposes of this procedure, a current health assessment shall be made no more than 12 months prior to the date the student would have first been eligible for initial entry into the public schools. It also acknowledges that the health assessment must be presented to the principal within 30 calendar days of the student s first day of attendance in the public schools. 4. For students previously enrolled in school, present a copy of the most recent report card or school transcript.

2 5. For students previously enrolled in school outside of Guilford County Schools, complete an "Affidavit of Student in Good Standing." 6. Complete the information requested on the enrollment form which will be processed by school personnel. 7. Present documentation that established the student's domicile listed in one of the following: a. Gas, oil, water or electric bill in the name of the parent(s) or court-appointed guardian/custodian. (Telephone and cable television bills are not acceptable ID.) b. Official lease agreement in the name of the parent(s) or court-appointed guardian/custodian. c. Driver's license (or State ID card from Department of Motor Vehicles) and voter registration card (obtain from the Board of Elections Office-not the Department of Motor Vehicles. DMV will not provide documentation of voter registration). These items must be in the name of the parent(s) or court-appointed guardian/custodian. d. Driver's license (or State ID card) and car registration in the name of the parent(s) or court-appointed guardian/custodian. e. Driver's license (or State ID card) and letter from employer verifying address of the parent(s) or court-appointed guardian/custodian. Letter from employer must be on company letterhead. f. Driver's license (or State ID card) or voter registration card and Medicaid card in the name of the parent(s) or court-appointed guardian/custodian. Student's name must also be listed on the Medicaid card. All forms of domicile documentation must be in the name of the parent(s) or courtappointed guardian/custodian with address in the proper school zone. If none of the above forms of domicile documentation can be provided by the parent(s) or courtappointed guardian/custodian, they should contact the Student Assignment Office. HOMELESS STUDENTS - Under the McKinney-Vento Act, national legislation has removed barriers of homeless individuals seeking to enroll children in public schools. Enrollment means attending classes and participating fully in school activities. Under this legislation, if the parent(s) or court-appointed guardian/custodian finds himself/herself in one of the following situations, the child would be considered homeless: The parent(s) or court-appointed guardian/custodian and child live with a friend, relative or someone else because they lost their home or cannot afford housing. The parent(s) or court-appointed guardian/custodian and child are staying in a hotel, motel or campground due to lack of adequate alternative accommodations. The parent(s) or court-appointed guardian/custodian and child are living in an emergency shelter, transitional shelter or a domestic violence shelter. The parent(s) or court-appointed guardian/custodian and child have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

3 The child is in the custody of Department of Social Services and awaiting foster care placement. Also, if the student is a runaway child or has been abandoned by his/her parent(s) or court-appointed guardian/custodian, the student would be considered homeless. There are four situations where the Affidavit of Homelessness should be used: 1. Under the legislation, the parent(s) or court-appointed guardian/custodian who is homeless may enroll the student in the school district where the child is temporarily living without proof of address or any of the other documents required by state law and local policy. Enrollment must be immediate without a waiting period. Efforts to obtain needed documents happen after the child is enrolled. 2. Students who were homeless at the end of one school year and continue to be homeless when the following school year begins may remain at the previous school until the end of the new school year or for the duration of their homelessness. If still homeless, a new affidavit must be completed at the beginning of each new school year and for each subsequent move during the school year while remaining homeless. 3. If after the school year begins, the parent(s) or court-appointed guardian/custodian moves to another living situation causing the student to be homeless, the student must be allowed to remain at the school where enrolled if the parent wishes. In this situation, the district is responsible for providing transportation. However, if the parent wishes to enroll the student at the correct school based on the new living situation, the parent may do that. 4. If a family that is homeless moves from one homeless situation to another homeless situation, a new affidavit should be filed so that new transportation arrangements can be made in a timely manner. In the above situations, the parent(s) or court-appoint guardian/custodian should complete an Affidavit of Homelessness at the appropriate school. After talking with the parent, if there is indication that the parent is homeless, the school staff will follow these steps: 1. Have the parent(s) or court-appointed guardian/custodian complete a separate affidavit for each child. 2. Look over the affidavit to make sure it is legible and complete. 3. Notarize the affidavit if a notary is present in the school office. If no notary is present or if the parent has no photo identification, have someone in the office witness the parent's signature and fill in the appropriate witness section. 4. Once the affidavit is complete, the student may be enrolled. 5. Once the student is enrolled, fax the affidavit to the Student Assignment Office immediately and send the original via courier to the Student Assignment Office. DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESS FOR HOMELESS STUDENTS - Parents, guardians or unaccompanied youth (hereinafter "the student") who have complaints

4 about enrollment may file an appeal with the School District Homeless Liaison. The Homeless Liaison is responsible for: 1. Training faculty and staff throughout the District about the rights of homeless students; 2. Developing and implementing a process for parents, guardians and unaccompanied youth with complaints about enrollment. The appeals process shall provide: a. A school who disputes the student's homeless status shall give written notice to the parent, guardian or unaccompanied youth that it intends to challenge the student's status by using the form attached hereto as Attachment A. A written Outline of Homeless Rights and Procedures will also be provided. A copy of the Outline of Homeless Rights and procedures will also be available on the school's website and is attached hereto as Attachment B. A copy of the completed form shall also be forwarded to the Homeless liaison. b. Within 5 school days, the Homeless Liaison shall schedule a hearing. The hearing shall: i. Be recorded; ii. Include all school personnel with knowledge of the student's status; iii. Permit the student and school to provide copies of all written documentation relevant to a consideration of homelessness to the Homeless Liaison for consideration at the hearing; iv. Permit the student and school to provide oral documentation relevant to the consideration at the hearing; v. Allow advocates or attorneys to represent the parties at the hearing; vi. Provide a written statement of final decision; vii. Provide written information in the form, Attachment C, to the student about appeal rights to the State Homeless Coordinator; and viii. In the event the student appeals to the State Homeless Coordinator, provide copies of the record from the homeless Liaison's consideration of the status of homelessness within five school days of the request of the State Coordinator. NON-DOMICILED RESIDENT STUDENTS - The student meeting the definition of a non-domiciled student and who resides with an adult in Guilford County shall be admitted to the Guilford County Schools after completion of the following requirements: 1. The student will report to the Office of the Director of Student Assignment and submit separate affidavits from the adult with whom the student resides and from the student's parent, guardian or legal custodian attesting that the student is eligible for admission as a Non-Domiciled, Resident Student under the Guilford County Schools' Admissions Policy and North Carolina General Statutes 115C The Office of the Director of Student Assignment will authorize the school to enroll the student.

5 3. After the office of the Director of Student Assignment has authorized the student to enroll in the Guilford County Schools, the student will be treated in all respects under these procedures as if he/she were domiciled at his/her place of residence, and as if the adult with whom the student is residing were the parent, guardian or legal custodian of the student. 4. The Non-Domiciled Resident student will report to the assigned school in his/her attendance area and complete the admission requirements for Domicile Students. 5. Non-Domiciled Resident students must submit affidavits annually for as long as the student is eligible for Non-Domiciled Resident status. NON-DOMICILED, NON-RESIDENT STUDENT - The student meeting the definition of a Non-Domiciled Student and who does not reside in Guilford County will report to the Office of the Director of Student Assignment and complete the following requirements: 1. Complete the GUILFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS' REQUEST FOR REASSIGNMENT (TUITION) form, including the reason for the request. The office of the Director of Student Assignment will notify the parent and school of authorization to enroll the student. a. Complete and submit the AGREEMENT TO PAY TUITION form and pay the required tuition (rate shall be set yearly not to exceed the amount of per pupil local funding); or b. Request that the tuition be waived in accordance with Board policy. i. The request will be reviewed and the decision rendered within 10 working days. ii. The parent/student will be notified of the decision by certified mail, if denied. 2. Non-domiciled, non-resident students must provide their own transportation. 3. Non-domiciled, non-resident students must apply annually. APPEAL TO THE BOARD - A decision denying a student admission may be appealed to the Board of Education by writing to the Director of Student Assignment within five (5) working days upon receipt of the decision of the Office of Student Assignment. 1. The Board of Education will use Board Panels composed of no less than two members of the Board of Education to hear the appeal by the parent/student. The hearing will be recorded on tape. 2. The Board Panel will be convened and conducted by the chairperson of the panel. 3. The parent/student will be allowed up to ten minutes to present their information. 4. Five minutes will be allotted for the members of the panel to pose questions to the parent/student.

6 The panel shall render a decision in the form of a recommendation to the full Board. Within a reasonable period of time, the parent/student shall be informed of the Board s decision in writing by certified mail.